Audi A3 Cabriolet launch on December 11, 2014

The Audi A3 sedan made its first appearance in India at the Auto Expo 2014 in Delhi at the start of this year. Along with it, the German carmaker also showcased the A3 Cabriolet. It has now been confirmed that the Audi A3 Cabriolet will be launched in India on December 11.

The A3 Cabriolet's roof, which is made of soft fabric, sits over a lightweight kinematic skeleton made of magnesium steel. It can open or close electro-hydraulically in around 18 seconds, at speeds of up to 50kph.

According to our sources, the A3 Cabriolet will be available only in petrol guise. It’ll retain the same set-up as in the sedan — 177bhp 1.8-litre TFSI engine mated to a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Equipment and features are also expected to remain the same.

The convertible will essentially serve as a halo product in the carmaker’s portfolio here. Since not too many units are expected to sell and the numbers won't justify local assembly, Audi will bring in the A3 Cabriolet as CBUs. Expect to shell out quite a premium over the standard sedan's price for the A3 Cabriolet.